Napoli's dream continues after win over Chelsea

By Alberto Cagliano Feb 22, 2012, 10:01 GMT

Rome - Napoli fans mixed optimism with caution after a 3-1 win against Chelsea brought them close to the Champions League quarter-finals.

'It will be hard, very hard, but sometimes also in football miracles can come true,' the Naples daily Il Mattino said Wednesday.

Napoli will be bidding for their first place in the last eight of the elite event in the second leg on March 14 at Stamford Bridge.

Beside the memorable comeback win on Tuesday night from Ezequiel Lavezzi's brace and Edinson Cavani, there were good financial news for the club as well.

Income at the San Paolo stadium is said to have topped 3 million euros (4 million dollars), beating the 2.5 million euros Napoli earned from the group-stage game with Germany's Bayern Munich, which ended on 1-1.

Some of the 55,000 fans celebrated the last day of Carnival donning blue wigs, with many chanting 'on to London,' and some attempting 'on to Munich,' where the final is played on May 19.

Coach Walter Mazzarri, whose touchline ban includes the second leg, regretted a late goal missed by Christian Maggio as Ashley Cole cleared on the goal line.

'It was a clear occasion and would have allowed us to go into the return with more tranquillity,' Mazzarri said. 'But ours was still an extraordinary performance.'

A beaming Aurelio De Laurentiis said he witnessed 'many amazing nights in my eight years as (Napoli) president, but this was truly special. I must thank our fans for their exemplary behaviour.'

The film producer took over Napoli in 2004, following the club's default and relegation to the third division, and the club returned to the Serie A in 2007.

'As a fan I always say 'full steam ahead,' but as president I reckon with reality,' he said. 'It will be very hard in London, in a hostile stadium.

'The pressure will be felt, but I think that our players have the maturity to play a game like that.'

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